Global Dance TV
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Global Dance TV
Global Dance TV is a high-end internet television company founded by dancers and dedicated to the dance community of the world. They strive to produce for you the best in dance programming. Global Dance TV plans to broadcast on three separate channels in their network. Check them out at: www.globaldance.tv |
Benji & Kellese at GNDC
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Benji & Kellese performing their showcase routine at Grand Nationals. This routine is amazing!!! Check it out on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=M9nd0zDox5I |
Westie Wire is on myspace!
Westie Wire is now on myspace.com!!!
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Be sure become a friend of Westie Wire and leave a comment…
Competition Music Overview - by Skippy Blair
For more than 40 years, I have been talking about the "3-way" partnership - the leader - the follower - and the music. Sometimes the MUSIC can interfere with the partnership. That should NEVER be the case in a competition. Any standing ovation always includes kudos for the music! Go back through your videos and find the standing ovations. Yes - the dance was great - but the choice of MUSIC always added something "extra" to the dance. The dancers not only lived up to the music - but were inspired to use their creativity and expertise to make the audience hear things in the music that they would NOT have heard without observing the dance!
In competition for ALL styles of dance, there is specific music that is screened and considered "acceptable" for competition. Given a level playing field, all top level dancers will give great performances. West Coast Swing has the most variety of music that is deemed acceptable for the dance. Unfortunately, in an effort to impose little or no restraints on the dance, we have avoided placing restraints on the MUSIC. New arrivals on the swing dance scene cannot be expected to have the ability to tell the difference between questionable, or unacceptable music for West Coast Swing. Increasingly, our DJ’s are studying the music they play and becoming experts in their field. In the meantime, until everyone understands that certain music is unacceptable - our dance is in trouble. It used to be that we bragged about being able to dance West Coast Swing to any music that was played. That is still a wonderful truth today! That thought was prevalent before the emergence of unacceptable music. The criteria for today’s music selection should be this: Only use music that contributes to the dance. There is no virtue in playing music that creates a challenge for the dancers. The word "challenge" is the "Key Word" here. It should not challenge you to dance.
A competition requires three participants: A Leader - a Follower - and Music that inspires them to dance. DJs must maintain a relationship with the Dancers that keeps them all on the same page. Great music encourages great performances.
Some people describe music only by TEMPO - "It was too slow" - "It was too fast." Tempo does not identify the music. The underlying rhythmic feel of dance music should invite us to dance - (sometimes insist that we dance). The absence of that feeling sometimes suggests that we should sit this one out. There is a "heart beat" deep in the rhythmic pulse of good dance music. It "cries out" to the dancer and brings them to the floor. Good dance music does not make you scratch your head - or blink your eyes. Dance Identification works hand in hand with MUSIC Identification. It is time for everyone to wake up to the fact that music should be pre-selected and approved for competition. There are hundreds of pieces of music - (more like thousands) - which are desirable for Swing dancing. A good start would be simply to eliminate the unacceptable ones - just so that our newer DJ’s are not tempted to play them.
Many new dancers (and a few not so new) tell me they have difficulty with music identification. They ask how to tell a Swing from a Cha-Cha or a Hustle. They wait until someone else dances - and then they get on the floor. This period of learning eventually leads to dance identification - but ONLY if someone (hopefully the DJ) tells them what the music is. If no one ever tells them the difference, the newer dancer assumes that ALL music played at a Swing dance is Swing music. Most advanced dancers can handle whatever music plays without having it interfere with their capabilities. However, beginner and Intermediate dancers are cheated out of experiencing the "thrill" of the dance - if they are not conditioned by music that encourages the shaping that instills the "thrill" of the dance.
No matter how much you enjoy dancing Swing to Hanzel Martinez’s "Love Potion #9" - it is still a Cha-Cha. Of course a Swing Dancer can dance Swing to it. It might even be one of your favorite songs, but hopefully NOT in a competition. In a competition - an accomplished Cha-Cha dancer’s Swing dancing would be compromised. Good dancers feel the rhythm of the dance in their bodies before their feet move. In this scenario, Cha-Cha music becomes a handicap. (It won’t seem like a handicap, unless you know how to dance Cha-Cha). The point is that a dancer should not be penalized for being accomplished in more than one dance. Would Swing music be allowed in a Cha-Cha or Hustle competition? Of course not!
The main issue at this time is having to dance to music that does not contribute to the dance. Some music does not invite great dancing. However, more than that, some music does not ALLOW great dancing. Every follower loves to dance with a leader who creates a balance of good leads with a little leeway for personal interpretation. The music should do the same. Good music should provide a setting that allows unlimited variety of interpretation. It all boils down to: "Good SWING music - SWINGS!"
Respectfully submitted for all who would listen and learn.
God Bless and have a great day,
Skippy
Skippy@skippyblair.com
www.swingworld.com
Swing Dancer Magazine - For Dancers by Dancers
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- Capturing the spirit of swing dancing There is no subscription or fee to read articles articles on SDM. You can also join the mailing list to receive updates when new issues are available. Check out Swing Dancer Magazine at www.swing-dancer.com |
It’s Official…
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Westie Wire has been officially launched today. Please spread the word to everyone! Getting a website like this up and running is not an easy task. It surely takes more than one. A special thank you to the following people who helped get Westie Wire off the ground: Bridget Wheeler, John Festa, John Lindo, Kelly Faust, & Victor Loviera Thank you to all who participated and provided feedback on Westie Wire before the official launch. Let’s all spread the word in any way possible! Thank you, |
Dancin’ In The Streets!
| West Coast Swing will be represented in the Dance Parade! |
| TEN THOUSAND NEW YORKERS TO DANCE DOWN BROADWAY IN NEW YORK CITYS SECOND ANNUAL DANCE PARADE ON SATURDAY, MAY 17 2008 |
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Who: Dance Parade, Inc. a non-profit organization celebrating dance in NYC. Nearly 200 dance groups, clubs, and schools from throughout the New York Metropolitan region. What: Parade of ten-thousand (10,000) dancers from the five boroughs to salsa, swing, tango, break, and boogie down Broadway to a Dance Festival in Washington Square Park. Where: Parade starts at Broadway and 30th Street, heads South on Broadway to Union Square, West on 13th Street to Fifth Avenue, then South on Fifth Avenue to Washington Square for the Dance Festival. When: Saturday, May 17, 2008 Why: To celebrate the many dance genres born in New York, as well as from world cultures including African, Ballroom, Contra, Irish Step, Roller Disco, Swing, Salsa and Zydeco. Learn More: www.danceparade.org |
Craig Hutchinson
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CRAIG HUTCHINSON
Join us for this special evening of dance bringing together Local, Regional, and National Swing Dancers in honor of Craig Hutchinson’s life. A Swing Dance Hall of Fame member and founder of DC’s Potomac Swing Dance Club as well as the Virginia State Open, Craig passed away in October 2007. From his beginning as a ballroom dancer, Craig fell in love with all forms of swing dance, and we feel a great sense of gratitude to Craig for his many contributions to the local and national dance communities. On March 14th, this evening to celebrate his life will include tributes to Craig, dance performances, a midnight Big Apple Jam, plenty of dancing to live music by the Mustangs, as well as DJ music, beginner swing lessons w/Dawn & Dean Garrish, and MC Grace Killelea. The Washington Swing Dance Committee and Dance Promoters of the Washington DC Metro Area are your Hosts for the evening, in cooperation with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, the National Park Service, and Montgomery County Maryland. We hope you’ll join us in this celebration of Craig’s amazing contributions to the dance world !! For more information visit: www.HutchMemorial.com |
A.A.N.C.E. Tour Calendar Released
Americas Amateur Novice Championship Events (A.A.N.C.E) has release the 2008 A.A.N.C.E Tour dates. You can view the calendar on the A.A.N.C.E website at: A.A.N.C.E 2008 Tour
For more information on A.A.N.C.E. visit:
A.A.N.C.E. Tour Website
Americas Classic Website
Wayne Bott - An Eagle Has Fallen
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From: Tyoni I am so sorry to have to send this email to you in the dance world. Today we lost Wayne Bott when he passed with Sudden Heart Failure. This is devastating and very sad news. This will shake our dance world. He was such an incredible, passionate, dedicated, and humorous man. We were all so lucky to have experienced him. We all know how important Wayne was in Sharlot’s life and ask you to please lift her up in your prayers. Tyoni From Phil Dorroll - Nashville, TN It is with great sadness that we inform you that the West Coast Swing Community has lost one of its leaders and treasured personalities. Wayne was just shy of his 45th Birthday…such an unbelievable loss. Many of you have requested address information for his wife, Sharlot Bott. Here is an excerpt from an email from Tyoni Martin of the US Open Swing Dance Championships. Ron & Tyoni were close personal friends. “I want to thank all of you who have emailed your shock and your concern for Sharlot. I let Sharlot know everyone is sending her their prayers. We are all recovering from the shock of loosing one of our communities’ leaders and friend. This email has only touched a few of you. Please forward to those you feel need to know. Tyoni” Please contact your local club for information on contacting Sharlot. Wayne & Sharlot’s Website |
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- Global Dance TV Global Dance TV Global Dance TV is a high-end internet television company founded by dancers...
- Benji & Kellese at GNDC A very unique and exciting routine. It may be the only time they perform...
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